We are running the Littlehampton 10k as part of Team Essie to say thank you to Chestnut Tree House, which is an amazing charity that helped Steve and Lorna Cobbett look after Essie during her short 18 month life.

Team Essie 2021 is back after a pandemic enforced absence in 2020. We will have a group of runners taking part to raise £6,850 to pay for a day of care at Chestnut Tree House. Since 2017, we have raised over £15,000 each year (enough to pay for two days of care), but 2021 feels different for many reasons and we have adjusted our target accordingly. We'd love to raise enough money to pay for 2 or 3 days of care, but we'll see how we get on... Please do give what you can. We promise you it will make a difference and it will change lives. 

Why should you donate? Quite simply, because Essie was amazing. She will forever be an inspiration. Essie was the strongest person ever, as fought through five end of life episodes from the end of March 2017 before she left to be a shooting star at 2:12am on Sunday 13 August 2017. She was determined to live life in her own way and in her own terms and truly fought each and every day to live a little bit longer and be around her family and friends.

Essie is a triplet who suffered a catastrophic brain injury at birth on 1 February 2016 and was diagnosed as being life limited when she was 11 days old. When she entered her end of life phase, in typical Essie style, she fought through three episodes at Chestnut Tree House to say "not now" and came home and spend some more time with her triplet brother and sister - as well as her family. For her last two end of life episodes, Steve and Lorna decided that Essie wanted to be at home - so through the support of Chestnut Tree House, were able to do so. 

Without Chestnut Tree House giving Steve and Lorna support and help with Essie they don't know what they would have done. It is not an exaggeration to say that they have changed their lives and they will always be truly grateful for this amazing charity.

Running the Littlehampton 10k is a small way to say thank you. Please give whatever you can to this charity that needs to raise £4 million each and every year, but it gets less than 10% of the funding it needs from the UK Government - so your money is very much needed (and never more so post Covid) and goes directly to helping 300 families like Steve and Lorna's that have their own Essie.

It costs £6,850 each day to fund Chestnut Tree House and we are so proud to be part of a sea of red t-shirts that are the runners, joggers and walkers in Team Essie. All to raise money to pay for a day of care - in memory of beautiful Essie. “Essie’s Day” is 19 April at Chestnut Tree House every year, as this is the date Essie finally came home from an 11 week stay in NICU (neonatal intensive care).

Thank you

Team Essie xxx

(founded by Steve and Lorna, supported by Essie's triplet brother and sister - Roman and Eva)

Chestnut Tree House is a children’s charity providing hospice care and community support for children and young people with life-shortening conditions. There are hundreds of children and young people in your local community who are unlikely to reach adulthood. And even more parents and family members who need care, help and support on their journey, as they do not know how long they will have together. Your help enables families to spend time together. Precious moments that give a lifetime of memories.